Ball-bearing wheel for vehicles.



W. J. BRAY.

BALL BEARING WHEEL FOR VEHICLES. (Appliation filed m a, 1901.

m: nunms PETERS 00.. PHOTO-LUNG, WASHINGTON. u. c.

Patented Nov. 26, MIDI.

Jlldlu; [B

.Fzcl Grla CIL' WALTER J. BRAY, OF TIPTON, IOlVA.

BALL-BEARING WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 687,672, dated November26, 1901.

' Application filed May S, 1901. Serial No. 58,584. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER J. BRAY, a resident of Tipton, in the countyof Cedar, State of Iowa, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Ball-BearingWheels for Vehicles, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to vehicle wheels provided with ball-bearings.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved ball-bearing wheelwhich can when desired be easily and quickly substituted for the usualwheele. 9., when the vehicle is to be used over rough or muddy roads theordinary steel-tired wheel is preferred and at other times a lightpneumatictired wheel having ball-bearings is desiredand, further, theinvention designs to provide an improved construction which can beeasily and quickly applied to the familiar form of axle now in commonuse and do signed for use with a hub having the familiar cone orparallel bearing.

. The invention consists in the several novel features of constructionhereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and moreparticularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

The drawing shows the improved bearing in central longitudinal sectionand as applied to an axle of usual construction.

A denotes an axle of the form and construction now in general use andcomprises a bearing portion a, an annular shoulder a, and a reducedscrew-threaded terminal 0, A hollow sleeve B, carrying a fixedbearingcone 1) and an adjustable bearing-cone I), held in place bynon-revoluble washer b and lock-nut bflfits around the axle. Sleeve Bisformed with a straight bore or opening I), extending longitudinallytherethrough, and at one end with an inclined annular shoulder bdesigned to abut against shoulder a of the axle. A nut C is providedwith a screwthread to engage the screw-thread on the reduced terminal aof the axle and a conical portion 0, which engages acorrespondinglytapered seat Z2 of sleeve B. The nut serves to securelyclamp the sleeve in fixed position on the axle, and conical shoulder 12and conical portion of the nut serve to position the sleeveconcentrically about the axle, regardless of the diameter or shape ofthe bearing portion a of the axle. In practice it has been found thatthe shape of the bearing portion varies-e. g., in some instances theaxles are straight and in others they are slightly tapered or conical.The construction shown can be readily applied to an axle less indiameter than the bore 11 of the sleeve, and it will be understood,therefore, that my improved construction of sleeve and bearing can bereadily attached and fixedly held in true concentric position on axlesof different sizes and regardless of the particular shape of the bearingportion of the axle. This feature has been found to be an important one,because it is not necessary to specially fit each sleeve according tothe axle whereto it is to be applied.

D is a hub provided with suitable bearingcups d and d, which, togetherwith cones b and 1), form bearings for series of balls E and E. Adust-cap F is secured to the hub by a screw-thread and incloses theparts at the outer end of the axle. An elastic washer g, held betweencone 1) and a suitable shoulder on the sleeve, prevents entry of dust toballs E and cone 1?.

When the wheel is to be removed from the axle and another substituted,it is only necessary to remove dust-cap Fand unscrew nut O. The wheel,hub, and sleeve can then be withdrawn laterally from the hub withoutdisturbing the ball-bearings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with an axle having an annular shoulder thereon, of asleeve on said axle, a not at the outer end of said axle, suitabletapered surfaces whereby the sleeve will be positioned around the axleat both ends thereof, said nut serving to secure the sleeve on the axle,a hub and a ball-bearing intermediate said sleeve and said hub.

2. The combination with an axle having an annular shoulder thereon, of asleeve on said axle, a nut screw-threaded on the end of said axle, saidsleeve having interior tapering portions at its ends, the taperingportion at one end engaging said shoulder, said nut having a conicalpart engaging the tapering portion at the other end of said sleeve, saidparts he ing arranged to position and secure the sleeve tapered portionat the outer end of said sleeve, I0

on the axle, a hub, and a ball-bearing intermediate said hub and saidsleeve.

3. The combination With an axle having a shoulder thereon, of a sleeveon said axle and having interior tapered portions at its ends, thetapered portion at the inner end engaging said shoulder, a nut on theend of said axle and having a conical part engaging the 1 bearing-coneson said sleeve, bearing-cups in said hub, and balls intermediate saidcups and cones.

WALTER J. BRAY.

Witnesses:

FRED GERLACH, FORRIS H. ALFORDS.

